The present invention generally relates to a system, a method and an apparatus for the wireless monitoring and management of computer, software and database systems. More specifically, the present invention provides a portable wireless monitoring and management tool that may be used remotely by a database or system administrator.
With the proliferation of computer systems and networks to carry out and support many of the activities and communications of modern businesses, a failure of a computer system, software system, network or database may result in extremely extensive downtime which translates into lost revenue and often includes bad publicity. For example, if a network, software system or database application of a bank were impaired, then certain or all financial transactions of the bank may not be able to process until such systems or applications are operable and/or functioning. A need exists to reduce software, network and database failure rates and downtimes while increasing performance and operational efficiency.
Traditionally, software, network and database monitoring and/or management has been confined to hard-wired environments where system administrators or database administrators (DBAs) must be physically present and available at all times in the event that a problem or situation occurs that requires human intervention to fix and correct. For many companies, a system administrator or a DBA employed or utilized by the company on a full time basis is extremely costly. For other companies, recruiting, training and maintaining a staff of system administrators or DBAs is simply not an economically viable option.
The present invention overcomes these deficiencies and limitations of prior techniques by allowing for system, network and/or database monitoring and management from portable handheld wireless devices.
The present invention allows monitoring and maintaining of computer systems, networks and databases using portable, handheld, wireless devices. As a result, system administrators, network administrators and DBAs may be freed from the constraints of their home and office computers and may monitor, update, and fix computer and software systems, networks and databases from any location and at any time. The present invention, therefore, provides an important advantage in a competitive global economy where companies cannot afford lengthy software, network or database failures or downtime, or inadequate response time to address such failures.
However, despite the flexibility provided by wireless devices, such devices introduce a number of different challenges due to their portable and wireless environment. Such challenges include limitations related to transmission and receiving speed (limited by available wireless bandwidth), the periodic loss of signal, reduced device size and reduced display size, and unique security concerns caused by the wireless environment. In addition, for handheld wireless devices, limitations exist regarding data entry; namely, handheld wireless devices typically do not include keyboards, and text may require entering through handwriting and/or other techniques.
A need, therefore, exists for an improved system, method and apparatus for the monitoring and management of computer systems, software systems, networks and databases. In addition, a need exists to reduce failure rates and downtimes while increasing performance and operational efficiency of such systems.
The present invention provides a system, a method and an apparatus for the wireless monitoring and management of computer systems, software systems, networks and databases.
To this end, in an embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided for the wireless monitoring and management of such systems where information is displayed on a wireless device. The method comprises the steps of: formatting information on a screen of the wireless device by wrapping portions of data sets; browsing on the wireless device between portions of data sets; displaying system or database information in a predetermined format on the wireless device; and scaling the information in the predetermined format on the wireless device.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided for formatting results on a screen of a wireless device. The method comprises the steps of: querying data records from a database; anticipating a number of the data records to be retrieved from the database; retrieving the data records from the database; storing the data records on a web or application server; choosing a threshold number; determining if the data records retrieved from the database is greater than the threshold number; and displaying the data records on the wireless device.
In an embodiment, the method displays the data records not greater than the threshold number on a single screen of the wireless device.
In an embodiment, the method comprises the steps of: breaking data records into portions; wrapping each of the portions; and providing a display area on the screen of the wireless device for each of the portions of data records that has been wrapped.
In an embodiment, the method determines a number of data records in each of the portions.
In an embodiment, the method navigates among each of the portions of data records.
In an embodiment, the method encloses the display area in a solid box. In an embodiment, the method further comprises the steps of: calculating a width in pixels of text in each data record; computing a sum of the pixels; calculating a width in pixels of a field in the display area; entering the text on a first line of the field to the extent of the width in pixels of the text allowed in the width in pixels of the field in the display area; and entering the text on a second line of the field to the extent of the width in pixels of the text allowed in the width in pixels of the field in the display area.
In an embodiment, the method comprises the step of highlighting text from the data records within the display area.
In an embodiment, the method inputs retrieved data into a graphing program, displays the data in a graph; and displays the data on an axis. The graph may be a bar-chart, a pie-chart, or the like.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided for formatting results on a screen of a wireless device by breaking columns in a table. The method comprises the steps of: comparing columns of text in the table; determining how many columns to display horizontally to provide a best visual perception; determining a width of each of the columns to display; and choosing break points in the table.
In an embodiment, the method breaks columns in a table is further comprised of the step of breaking columns with identical text by displaying the identical text on one line of the table.
In an embodiment, the method highlights the text of the table. In an embodiment, the method compares a display order of data and a frequency of repetition for the columns in the table.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided for formatting data records on a screen of a wireless device by using a scroll mechanism associated with the wireless device. The method comprises of the steps of: shifting each of the data records on the screen; keeping each of the data records together on the screen; and locking one of the data records while shifting the remaining data records on the screen associated with the wireless device.
In an embodiment, the method highlights a selection of the data records.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a system is provided for the monitoring and management of databases. The system has a wireless device having a screen and a wrapping means. The system also has a web server associated with the database wherein the wireless device remotely accesses the database.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a system is provided for formatting data query results stored in a database wherein the database has text of data defined by a plurality of characters wherein each of the plurality of characters is defined by a number of pixels. The system has a wireless device having means for retrieving data query results. The system has an application and/or web server having a memory associated with the application/web server wherein the server has a means for remotely accessing the text data associated with the database and transferring the text of data to the wireless device.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a system is provided for formatting results on a screen of a wireless device. The system has a database with text of data defined by tables having columns and an application or web server in remote communication with the wireless device. The server determines a width of each of the columns, chooses columns with identical text and breaks columns with identical text.
In an embodiment, the system has a means for highlighting the text of data.
In an embodiment, the system has a means for comparing a display order of the text of data and means for comparing a frequency of repetition for the columns in the table of the text of data.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a system is provided for formatting data records on a wireless device. The system has a screen and a scrolling mechanism. The scrolling mechanism may shift the data records on the screen. The scrolling mechanism keeps each of the data records together. The scrolling mechanism further locks one of the data records while shifting a remainder of the data records on the screen.
In an embodiment, the system has a means for highlighting the data records.
In another embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus is provided for monitoring and management of a database. The apparatus has a wireless means providing remote access to an application or web server, queries data records from the server wherein the application or web server is associated with the database and further wherein the wireless means anticipates a number of data records to be retrieved from a database, means for choosing a threshold number, means for retrieving the data records from the database, means for comparing a number of the retrieved data records retrieved to the threshold number, and means for displaying the data records in a predetermined format wherein the means for displaying is associated with the wireless means.
In an embodiment, the apparatus has a means for highlighting the data records.
In an embodiment, the apparatus has a means for navigating between each of the data records.
It is, therefore, an advantage of the present invention to provide a system, an apparatus and a method that reduces downtime. To this end, application and database downtime is dramatically reduced. To fix a system, network or database problem, system administrators or DBAs do not spend critical time driving to a fixed location such as to home or to work, booting up a computer, or dialing-in to a server or ISP.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a system, an apparatus and a method that significantly reduces analysis and troubleshooting time. This time is particularly important for mission-critical systems. The system, apparatus and method of the present invention provide the tools to readily identify troubleshooting issues.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a system, an apparatus and a method that reduces DBA staff burnout. Staff no longer needs to completely interrupt a weekend or weeknight for minor issues when they can monitor and troubleshoot issues from anywhere using the system, the apparatus and the method of the present invention.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is to provide a system, an apparatus and a method that increases confidence in management. Managers may rest easier knowing that their staff has complete and immediate access to their software systems, networks and/or databases from any location at any time.
Further, another advantage of the present invention is to provide a system, an apparatus and a method that allows for monitoring multiple databases, systems or networks from one console.
Still further, another advantage of the present invention is to provide a system, an apparatus and a method that improve the productivity and manageability of the DBA staff.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is to provide a system, an apparatus and a method that reduce the learning curve of new DBAs when they start a job.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a system, an apparatus and a method that reduce or eliminate the need for custom-written scripts that are common among the database communities, such as, for example, a database community using a database management tool provided by, for example, the Oracle Corporation.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention are described in, and will be apparent from, the detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments and from the drawings.